'What is right prevailed': Aretha Franklin blocks premiere of unscreened 1972 Sydney Pollack documentary Amazing Grace

Aretha Franklin has blocked the premiere of Sydney Pollack's previously unseen 1972 documentary Amazing Grace.

On Friday the 73-year-old singer filed an injunction against the film being shown at the Telluride Film Festival without her consent.

After testifying by phone, a federal judge ruled in her favor, to which Aretha expressed relief, saying: 'Justice, respect and what is right prevailed and one's right to own their own self-image.'

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Protecting her image: Aretha Franklin shared her relief on Saturday, as a judge ruled in her favor to prevent a screening of the documentary Amazing Grace at the Telluride Film Festival 

Protecting her image: Aretha Franklin shared her relief on Saturday, as a judge ruled in her favor to prevent a screening of the documentary Amazing Grace at the Telluride Film Festival 

U.S. District Judge John L. Kane issued his order in Denver just three hours before the Friday night screening of the movie.

The singer testified by telephone from Detroit that she had objected to use of the concert footage in the documentary for years.

Attorneys for the film festival argued that a recently discovered 1968 contract she had signed allowed the use of the footage. 

However, the U.S. District Judge said that the document appeared to only relate to her music recordings. 

Close call: After testifying over the screening, the show was cancelled three hours before showtime [seen is a grab from the trailer for the unreleased film]

Close call: After testifying over the screening, the show was cancelled three hours before showtime [seen is a grab from the trailer for the unreleased film]

Amazing Grace was Aretha's biggest hit, outselling all her other albums put together.

Iconic film-maker Pollack and a four-man camera team followed Aretha and her crew for two nights as she performed the album at LA’s New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in 1972. 

The 20 hours of 16mm footage they created has never been released to the public. 

Following the death of Pollack in 2008, Alan Elliott obtained the rights through a quitclaim deed, which requires him to get Aretha's permission to use the concert footage, according to The Hollywood Reporter

Since he did not obtain the permission, the judge granted an order preventing him from showing the film for at least 14 days. 

Contractual issue: Producer Alan Elliott had obtained the film's footage through a quitclaim in 2008 following the death of director Sydney Pollack [Aretha is seen in the footage]

Contractual issue: Producer Alan Elliott had obtained the film's footage through a quitclaim in 2008 following the death of director Sydney Pollack [Aretha is seen in the footage]

Aretha's attorney Fred Fresard told the publication: 'Aretha Franklin has spent over 50 years developing her art. Congress passed laws to protect artists like her. 

'The producers needed to get her permission. So we think this was the right decision and we are very happy with the result.' 

The documentary was scheduled to have three screenings at the film festival. 

It was next set to be shown at the Toronto Film Festival on September 10, and as the Denver judge does not have jurisdiction in Canada, it may be - unless Aretha's lawyers seek a similar ruling there.


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